Gimli TK Tae Kwon Do is gearing up for another school year of after-school martial arts classes. A registration day will be held at Sigurbjorg Stefansson Early Middle School on Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m.

Sensei Debby Kutcher said that she finds parents enjoy signing their children up for the bi-weekly after-school program because it helps get kids off the computers to learn valuable life skills

“It works out their body, not just their thumbs,” one parent commented.

“It’s so much fun and I have new friends now and I am learning how to defend myself if anything bad happens to me,” one of Kutcher’s students said.

Fourteen-year-old Noah Carlson of Winnipeg Beach said that he is excited to learn how to spin-kick this year and his younger sister, Autumn, said that she is excited to go to Winnipeg for a tournament so that she can catch up with the new friends that she made last year.

The martial arts class charges students $50 per month for one student and $40 per additional family member as a way to make the classes more affordable for larger families.

Classes aren’t limited to youth, parents are welcome to join in the fun.

“As old as I am, I really feel my strength coming back, I haven’t felt this good in years,” said one of Kutcher’s 48-year-old students.

“It’s great to see parents with their children together on the floor learning together. That’s how I started with my kids. It’s a great feeling for both,”Kutcher explained.

“If a student is committed to learning and practising, a black belt could be achieved in four-and-a-half years,” Kutcher said.

Kutcher has been teaching for eight years and is a first-degree black belt, getting ready for her second degree testing in a few months.

Kutcher’s TK Gimli Club runs every Monday and Thursday at Sigurbjorg Stephansson Early School from6:30 to 8:30 p.m. September through June. Students can start anytime during the season and all ages are welcome.